Failure's Scapegoat
by Jihino Tenshi
Summary: Raven starts a new school due to reasons she chooses not to think about. Everything seems fine, but she’s guarding a painful secret. Her very life becomes threatened, not to mention turned upside down when it's exposed. Full summary inside.


Disclaimer: I don't Teen Titans. –sigh–

Summary: Raven starts at a new school due to reasons she chooses not to think about. In the past, she has not been one to make friends, but this time, that's different. Everything seems fine, but she's guarding a secret that she doesn't want exposed. What happens when someone discovers it? Her very life becomes threatened, not to mention turned upside down. Amidst all this, she has to wonder why she is always the one who gets blamed...

_IMPORTANT_: There are a few things I have to say before the fic starts. I have to give some warnings, more or less.

(1) This is an AU, so some things will be different. The Titans don't have powers and their backgrounds may be changed slightly (i.e. some aspects of their family life). However, I'll try to keep as much to the true facts as possible, as far as who is in their family and important events. If it is not likely for those events to have happened based on the outline of this story, events will have happened to them that are similar to the ones that could not be included. I will -not- change their personalities.

(2) This is a BB and Rae pairing (although it may not seem that way for a while, just trust me on this one), with a definite side pairing of Robin and Star.

(3) I'll be using their aliases (that I got from titanstower . com) and not their Titan names (Rachel Roth Raven, Kory Anders Starfire, Dick Grayson Robin, Vic Stone Cyborg, Garfield Logan Beast Boy, Tara Markov Terra)

That's all I can think of for now! Hope you enjoy this short installment!

**Prologue**

A long sigh slowly passed over her pale lips as she stared at the large and well-kept building that loomed in front of her. This was just another first day at school. It was no big deal, and it would pass just like all the rest. That was the normal routine that she had become accustomed to, and it worked for the most part. There were times when she had thought about attempting to make friends, but in the end, she resolved that even that would make things harder. Thus, every school she enrolled in, her existence only seemed like that of a ghost, one which passed in and out of the student body without being noticed. This time around would be no different.

Looking behind her, she lifted a hand weakly and motioned to the sleek, black car that it could leave. Watching it pull away, she somehow felt a sense of relief wash over her. At school, she could act as she pleased and not worry about being watched. That may have set her apart from the majority of the student body who felt like they had to behave a certain way in front of their peers. She would simply fade into the background, keeping to herself. This was her place of escape, as dreary as it seemed. She would have no worries here, she reminded herself again and again. If only that could be guaranteed...

Turning back toward the front of the school, she watched idly for a few moments as many unfamiliar faces passed her by. It had started already. They did not notice her, and hopefully it would stay that way. She wished that came with a guarantee, too. It would be easier when she ended up having to leave for reasons she dared not think about right then. She was standing right by the curb, so she could see most of the students who were walking into the building. There was a dress code, but no set uniforms. That was easy to tell seeing the variety of styles they wore, some obviously going for individualization. Seeing another group of students enter the structure, she corrected herself. The dress code was obviously not strongly reinforced.

Shifting the weight of her navy blue backpack from one shoulder to the other by changing straps, she began to move toward the large set of double doors. It was a mildly chilly autumn morning so she had chosen to wear a long sleeved, black shirt. The main part of the shirt was slightly loose fitting but the sleeves flared out at the shoulders, expanding as they went down the arms and stopping a few inches past her wrists. She had chosen to wear her favorite pair of jeans, casual and warm. They fit comfortably, not too loose but not too tight either, and they flared out starting at the knees. Her boots had about two-inch heels and matched her shirt in color. All in all, she would blend in nicely.

Shoving a piece of loose violet hair behind an ear, she reached the doors of the school and entered, failing to hold it open for anyone that might have been right behind her. She paused just beyond the doors, looking both ways to try and spot the main office. She still needed to get her schedule and, more than likely, they would try and stick her with a guide. All of the schools she went to did, as though trying to give her the best due to her father. The mere thought of it repulsed her.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, the young girl noticed that the office was off to her left. Heading over to it, she opened the heavy door and went inside, immediately realizing that the school did not try to hide how much money it had. All of the seating looked to be covered in rich fabrics and the desks appeared to be made of cedar. Approaching the main desk, she waited quietly until the woman sitting behind it looked up. "I'm new here," she stated simply, expecting to be directed elsewhere to pick-up her schedule.

"Ah," the petite lady replied simply. "Your name?"

"Rachel Roth," she answered, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as though already getting impatient.

"Right," the woman responded, adjusting her thin-framed glasses as she reached into one of the deep drawers in her desk. A few moments later, she pulled out a thick card and handed it to her.

Upon inspection, the new student saw that it had her schedule clearly printed across it. "Thanks," she said shortly, turning to walk out of the office.

"Wait," the blonde lady spoke up, causing the violet-haired girl to stop in her tracks. Turning slightly in her chair, the receptionist appeared to motion to someone nearby. "Kory."

A red-haired student rose from one of the chairs where she had previously been reading what looked to be a magazine. Shoving it into her purple backpack, she quickly made her way over to the desk, face beaming. "Hello," she greeted enthusiastically, holding out her hand for the other to shake. "I'm Kory Anders. You must be Rachel."

"Yes," the other girl answered, ignoring the hand that had been offered.

"I'm your guide for the day," the tanned female informed, withdrawing her hand but not seeming at all offended. "Is it possible for me to see you schedule?"

Wordlessly, the paler of the two handed over the card that had been given to her.

"Oh glorious! We have the same first period," Kory grinned from ear to ear at the realization. Looking up from the card, she motioned for Rachel to follow her out of the office, obviously ready to get to their first class.

The violet-haired female nodded in response and kept in step with the other, not really wanting to lose her in the halls that were quickly filling with students who did not want to be late to class. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noted that the smile on the other's face was different than her other guides' had been. Their expressions had been forced, as though she was purposefully making them waste their precious time. Kory's, on the other hand, appeared completely genuine, as though she were happy to be of any help... Maybe, just maybe...

Her thoughts were cut off short when she realized that she was almost losing sight of the other. Picking up her pace, she managed to catch up with the redhead, who had paused to wait for her.

"It is not hard to get lost in here," she said jokingly, smile still effortlessly tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I can tell," Rachel replied a bit dryly, making sure not to get separated from the other again on the way to their class. Still, a thought lingered in the back of her mind. Perhaps she could attempt to get to know this girl better during first period. It felt risky to her, but she found herself wanting to do it anyway.

–

Note: So, what do you all think? Be honest, please! Also, I know it's short, but I like to keep my prologues that way. My chapters are longer, I promise! This may seem like an idea that's been overdone or has a similar air to some others, but it -was- my idea. I apologize deeply if it's too similar to anyone else's and please let me know if you think it is! I am a writer with my own created storyline that is purely my own, and I know how upset I would feel if my ideas were copied or plagiarized. So, please, feel free to tell me, okay? Oh, and please R&R! (Constructive criticism welcomed and much appreciated, but no flames, please!)


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